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to the utmost of my power against all traitorous conspiracies and attempts whatsoever which shall be madę against her person, crown or dignity; and I will do my utmost endeavour to disclose and make known to Her Majesty, Heirs and Successors, all treasons and traitorous conspiracies and attempts which I shall know to be against her or any of them; and all this I do swear without any equivocation, inental evasion or secret reservation, and renouncing all pardons, all dispensations from any power of person whom-soever to the contrary.

So help me God (5).

Le jour menie de la prestation du serment, 27 avril 1840, Ryland transmettait a Mgr Bourget la minutę de 1’entree du serment dans les archives de l’Executif. Le document se lisait comme suit:

The Revd lgnące Bourget being in attendance was admitted and the doors being open to the public, he took and subscribęd the oath of allegiance as Bishop of the Roman Catholic Church at Montreal until such time as Her Majesty’s pleasure with regard to the appointment shall be known (6).

Le document etait ąccompagne dune lettre qui ne laissait aucun doute sur la pensee de Ryland:

I have the hónour to inclose you an Extract from the Minutes of the Executive Council of this day relative to your appointment as Bishop of the Roman Catholic Church at Montreal until such time as Her Majesty’s pleasure thereon shall he known (7).

On pense hien que Mgr Bourget ne gouta ni le document ni la lettre de Ryland.

Le 2 mai, il ecrit a Mgr Turgeon, coadjuteur de Quebec:

Je ne sais pounjuoi M. Ryland m*a tnvoye une copie de 1'acte de la Minutę insinue aux archives du Conseil. Comme j’y vois un levain de Suprematie, je vous envoie une copie de cette Minutę et de la lettre de ce Monsieur, qui semble venu a l’appui de ses vieilles pretentions. La formule du serment cpie j'ai souscrite et dont on m a aussi envoye copie, a ma demande, est en anglais la

⁰ Archevechć de Montreal, Pite ct Actes, T. 3, f. 133. ⁰ Ibid.

⁷ Ibid.